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Crude is on the mend, while gold is poised to test its mettle at $1,200
The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is looking to add to Wednesday's modest gains, as traders continue to mull over the minutes from the latest Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting. Also in focus today are last night's mixed earnings results from Alcoa Inc (NYSE:AA), with shares of the aluminum giant down 3% in electronic trading. Additionally, traders will digest the health of the economy, as updates on weekly jobless claims and wholesale inventories are due.
And now, on to the numbers...
Futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average 2 Minute (DJIA) are more than 31 points above fair value.
Market Statistics
The Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) saw 789,917 call contracts traded on Wednesday, compared to 474,811 put contracts. The resultant single-session equity put/call ratio edged up to 0.60, while the 21-day moving average stayed at 0.66.
Currencies and Commodities
- The U.S. dollar index is 0.3% higher at 98.18.
- Crude oil is on pace to recover a portion of Wednesday's steep losses, up 2.1% at $51.48 per barrel.
- Gold is poised to surrender its perch atop $1,200, down 0.3% at $1,199.10 per ounce.
Earnings and Economic Data
Weekly jobless claims will be released today. Constellation Brands (STZ), Ruby Tuesday (RT), and Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) will step into the earnings confessional. To see what else is on this week's agenda, click here.
Overseas Trading
It was a mixed finish in Asia today. In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng rallied 2.7% -- and hit a seven-year high along the way -- as Chinese investors rushed into the Shanghai-Hong Kong stock connect, and the China Securities Journal featured an article entitled "Go! Buy Hong Kong Stocks!" Japan's Nikkei also settled higher, up 0.8%. Elsewhere, China's Shanghai Composite shed 0.9%, while South Korea's Kospi closed at a fractional loss.
European benchmarks are in the green at midday, as traders digest the relatively dovish minutes from the FOMC's latest meeting. Also helping to boost investor sentiment are upbeat reports on Germany's exports and industrial production and eurozone auto sales, as well as news Greece met a loan-repayment deadline. At last check, the French CAC 40 is 1.1% higher, London's FTSE 100 is up 0.9%, and the German DAX is flirting with a 0.6% lead.
Unusual Put and Call Activity:
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